Coin-controlled actuator



Jan. 19, 1954 Filed. Sept. 22, 1950 w. M. STEWART 4 COIN-CONTROLLED ACTUATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l I H I 24 I \16 I J L /9 INVENTOR WI LSO N, MARKS STEWART ATTORN EY Jan. 19, 1954 v w. M. STEWARi' 2,666,514

COIN-CONTROLLED ACTUATOR I Filed Sept. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WLLSON MARKS STEWART ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN-CONTROLLED ACTUATOR Wilson Marks Stewart, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application September 22, 1950, Serial No. 186,135

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an actuator for vending machines,

More particularly, the invention relates to a coin-controlled release mechanism used in vending machines.

Such a mechanism, to which the present invention pertains, is used to control the rotation of a shaft which is an instrumentality in the operation of vending. Thus, such a mechanism, which normally prevents the vending" or operative stroke of the shaft, is'operated by a coin to release the shaft so that it may be freed to rotate and permit of the vending function of the machine of which the mechanism forms a part.

With the advent of the increase in the sale price of many soft drinks, from a nickel to seven cents-requiring a nickel and two one-cent pieces-such mechanism had therefore to be made adaptable to handle or receive three separate coins or money pieces. The present invention has been developed to handle a nickel (inserted into one chute) and two one-cent pieces (inserted into a second chute), but the invention is also applicable to a mechanism required to handle two or more coins inserted into a same coin chute.

Such mechanisms which handle three coinstwo of which, of equal denominations, are inserted into the same coin chutetend to function improperly. I

The instrumentality directly controlled or actuated by the coin, or coins, is a latch called in the trade a dog. One such dog is controlled by two similar coins inserted into the same coin recess or slot of the coin cam. In the operation of this dog, the two coins are co-dependent, that is, one coin actually operates the dog in its releasing stroke and this coin in turn is actuated or pushed by the other coin. The coins may be said to act inseries, Experience has shown that the main cause for the improper or unreliable functioning of the known mechanisms aforesaid, is that the two coins sometimes in part overlap one another as one pushes the other to operate the dog. If one coin is thinner (because of wear or for other causes) than the other, or if both coins are worn thin, overlapping is likely to occur, and often does. The two coins therefore become wedged in the coin recess of the coin cam in which they are received after leaving the coin chute, and the mechanism will either jam, or will operate to permit vending without additional coins.

The main object of the invention is to provide an efiicient and improved coin-controlled release mechanism in a so-called actuator for vending m h a spa t cular y n? of the kind wherein two (or more) coins are received in a same recess of the coin cam.

A feature-the most important feature-of a mechanism according to this invention is that the first coin to be inserted into the coin recess of the coin cam receiving the two coins of equal denomination, is inoperative to actuate the dog; it is the second coin which actually operates or pushes the dog to effect its releasing stroke. The first coin merely acts partially to support the second coin. Thus, the two coins are not co-dependent in the sense that one is pushed by the other, but the second coin acts independently of the first coin to actuate the dog on its releasing stroke.

Better to bring out the difference between themechanism of the present invention and that now on the market as aforesaid, a brief description will first be made of the part of the known mech-- anism immediately concerned with the operation, of the dogthrough the intermediary of two coins; of equal denomination.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures,

Figure l is a side elevation of the preferred form of the invention; I

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view as on line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an isometric view of a '7-cent cam such as is now on the market,

Referring first to Figure 4, 10 shows the shaft, the rotation of which two coins (of the same denomination) and a third coin are intended to control. Through a coin chute (not shown) the two coins of the same denomination, falling successively by gravity, are guided into a coin-receiving recess or slot 21 formed in a coin cam l2 fixed to the shaft. The two coins lie in the recess, one coin bearing against a pin 20 fixed to one end of a lever or dog l8, and the other coin lying adjacent one end of the recess in alignment with the other coin. The dog is spring-loaded (spring not shown) to retain the pin in riding engagement with the cam. The cam is formed with a shoulder or abutment 3| adapted to be engaged by the pin 20 to determine the rotation of the shaft, when the cam is rotated against the spring (not shown) loading the shaft. The pin 26 is adapted to be raised by a coin to clear the shoulder 3 I.

In a three-coin device such as that being briefly described, two coins of the same denomination must be in the cam recess 28 before the pin 26 will be raised to clear the shoulder 31. The first coin is received in the recess and rolls down to bear adjacentthe pinifi of the dog 3|, The secnd coin rolls down to bear against the first coin. The dog is raised by the first coin which is pushed by the second coin, the latter coin being in turn pushed by the cam. In other words, the second coin, deriving its pushing force from the cam, pushes against the first coin as the coin cam is rotated. Thus it is that the two coins often in part overlap and become wedged in the coin slot of the cam.

The thi'rdcoin (thenickel) drop ied intiia sew ond chute (not shown) is received into a second and parallel recess 21 and serves to lift the pin 20 of another spring-loaded dog I8. As willbeeasily understood, when both dogs are lifted toclear tlie" shoulders 11, rotation of the shait omits vending stroke is possible.

My improved device is shown" Figures" 1" ti)"- 3. It comprises a. spring-loaded shaft Hl,. the rotation of which two coins D2 and D3 (of equal diameter) anda third coin D-Lare intended to 20 control. As is the case withthepresent-day'f cent actuators,.. the shaft llf'is'loahedes' byia" coil spring I 5", .wound a rouri'd the: shaft: and" anchoredat its opposite" ends to a liigi f lTforhiifig" part. of. the frame F ofthe" actiiato'r and'a pin H1.- carried by the camlZ'. Thero'ta'tiofi of the" camisdetermined a pin l3carrie'd'byithe'coiri and. engaging. the frame}.

The coin cam. IZ'fis' provided with two" parallel coin-receivingrecesses o'r slots 21 'a'ridf28} Each" suchrecess is .formed at' one endw'ith the usual coin engaging shoulder Sf('see Figu're' 3)L two coins. D2 and. 153;..h11'ing. through a'c'of chute.v (not shownl' are received into the" recess 28;. the thirdficoin D1,. fallin'ggthrougha coin chute (not shown) is receivedirito trie're'cesm I Associated with the recesses 2l a'ndf28" ar'e twcs separate or independent pringaoadee dogs" i8 and. 23, respectively; pii'lotedfte' the f Z'e' as' by'" a shaft 19', and carrying p'in's ZOiaiiZi' ztgresoecg tively,. The pins ride on. thecainahd' normally" engage shoulders or; abhtrhen'ts' f 3i formedj on the cam to determine the rotation" ofthe "shaft againstits spring: on its; releasing stroke; The coin DI, in the recess21',operates'"t'o-liftthe-pin carried by. the. dog-. ,.l8 clear 'ofthe shoulder" associated with the recess; I

Thus far described," my improved device is similar. in operation. to that previously lino n? that is, the device showman-Figure 42 Thefd f erence .between. such? knowmdeviceiandmy ini' proved device. consists of the provision of "ai rajhip. or .cam track. vtil-"which. is' adapte'd 'to 'fbe slidably engaged by, the pin; 26," carried "by: the "dog23. Therampis formed ieflectiv'elyftoextend rel? di'allyoutwardlirlofthe effective racepr the corn" cam. so that -in I one position i of the cah i -its normal position ias seen" in Figure 3 f--the pin carriedb'y the ,do'gi23 is siifficie itly"fraisedto permit of the coin D3 (thelfirstho beinserted" into the recess 283' to.-roll" in"the"recess, under" the pin 25. The coincomes 'to'a'stopjby itsen gagement with..a .plateor'stop 24'ffixed' to the frameFTof the device; thecoin being'f'in part supported 'by. the stdp'fand "by i'thefio'onof the" recess.

iii)

If" the coin cam is now'rotated'from normalipositi'on', .tnepm-win:engage the abut ment. or looking; shoulder "and deterlmin such rotation. L

The coin; D2 (the last boin" to be "insertedinto the recess. 28')" is in" parti"supported or held in a position rforwardly-qof the pin"? 6''1by =the co'i'r'r' D.I..- The rampgis so..fdrmedthat' as the coin cam. ispartiallyLfrdtdfiedffibnfitS"no1ma31'"p0s tion, the, pinlis graqdany. p H path of the coin" 'D'ij'sothat" thecontinded' rota 4 1 tion of the coin cam will cause the coin to raise the pin above or clear of the abutment 3|.

Thus, the dog 23 will now be ineffective to determine the rotation of the shaft on its releasing stroke. The floor of the recesses is so formed that after the coin cam has been rotated sufliciently to render the dogs ineffective, the coins fall out of the coin recesses into a coin box j fnot shown). p I

While improved device has been described as one handling two coins of the same denomination in a same coin recess (that is, adapted to vend 'I-cent commodities), it is obvious that more than two Cains" of the same denomination in a same recessmay be made to control the dog associated with such recess. It is merely a matteFo fs'oforhiin'g the ramp, so positioning the coin-stpp 'and so shaping the fioor of the recess that the first two coins will roll under the pin, and the third coin alone will engage the pin and raise thesaii'ie clear of the" abutiniit.

1. In coin' cohtrolle'd actuator" of the type ada'hted to" actha'te new insertion in a" single coin slot of two or more similar coins, ahd com-' prising a frame; a rotatable shaft mounted for rota-tion in said" frame; a' coin cam secured to said'shaft; and a' dog biaseditbhride orjia, cam track said coin Cami and l mit rqtatien or said" coin cam and shaft whei'i'" correct c'oin'a' is no't'p'res'erit ins1ots"forh'ied'i1i said'coincam to receive the same. the improvement which cohsists'infac'oin sitt rorrsesm said coincairi open to the periphery of s'aidco'in camalohg' itsfentire' mngtn aha arrangee tt" reeeivsfane hostage toedg'ea predetermined'number greater than one coins fed to' it by gravity from a coin chute situated 'th'er'aboi e; 'fiiciedstop means mounted on said frame fin" ang' mefitwit said coin slot and gea" tofcoiit'act and" upport the first coin received'insaiolcoin slot whereby arranged so that all save; the last pfls'aid" pre determined number f coins are entirely said cam'track; andafcutaway portion on said' cam 'trachforihd withalockin'g"shoiilde atone end thereof -in such position that the last coinof said predetermined number of coins to "enter said w l i s' i s.e ie.iiw ;ee e are portion to an extent "corresponding to the depth oi said -;lockingshoulder said gejg bmg positioneol to ride said camtr'ack within ssm'cutaway portion to contact said locking shoulder and pr ventpperation of said actuator when all of said" predeterminednufnberof coins are not present in said coin slot and to ride over the projectingedge of said last coin and pasts'aidlocking' shoulder"topermit operation of said actuaton when all of said predetermined-number of coins are present; within said coin slot.

2AA coin controlled ac tuator assented in 

